Electromagnetics Modeling in COMSOL Multiphysics

The AC/DC and RF Modules

Electromagnetics Modeling in COMSOL

RF Module
High-frequency modeling Microwave Heating Statics and low-frequency modeling Induction Heating Model non-equilibrium discharges

AC/DC Module

Plasma Module

MEMS Module (statics subset of AC/DC Module)

Advanced statics Electromechanics Interaction of charged particles with electromagnetic fields

Particle Tracing Module

COMSOL Product Suite Version 4.2a

AC/DC Module Application Examples

Motors & Generators

Electronics

Inductors

Capacitors

Ion Optics and Charged Particle Tracing

Joule Heating and Induction Heating

RF Module Application Examples

Antennas

Radiation Patterns

Scattering

Waveguides and Filters

Microwave Heating

Plasmonics and Metamaterials

Low Frequency Modeling

When AC/DC Module is applicable instead of RF Module What is low frequency?
Low frequency when the electrical device size is less than 0.1 x Wavelength The device does not see the direction of an electromagnetic wave but just a uniform time varying electric field 0.1 x l

Electrical size

AC/DC Simulations
Statics (DC)
Quasi-statics (AC) Transient

E 0 t

E sin t

Et

AC/DC Physics Interfaces - Statics

Conductive media DC
3D Axisymmetric 2D In-plane

Electrostatics
3D Axisymmetric 2D In-plane
3D 3D no currents Axisymmetric (two cases dependent on current direction) 2D In-plane (two cases dependent on current direction)

Magnetostatics

AC/DC Physics Interfaces Low Frequency

Electric (E), Magnetic (M) or Electromagnetic (EM)
3D Time Harmonic E, M, and EM 3D Transient E and M Axisymmetric E, M and EM
Time Harmonic and Transient (E and M) Time Harmonic and Transient (E and M)

2D In-plane E, M and EM

RF Simulations
Driven
Local field excitation External field excitation

Eigenvalue
Cavity resonances

Progagating modes

RF Physics Interfaces
3D Waves
Source driven or mode analysis

2D Waves
Source driven, eigenfrequency or mode analysis
In-plane Axisymmetric Cross-sectional (guided waves mode analysis only)

Solve for 1,2, or 3 field components, allows for TE, TM, TEM, and hybrid mode analysis in 2D (hybrid mode = neither TE, TM, or TEM polarization)

Differences: AC/DC vs. RF Module

AC/DC Modules electromagnetic potential (A+V) formulation is full wave with no intrinsic approximations RF Modules electric field (E) formulations are full wave as well RF Modules E formulations give boundary conditions more suitable for higher frequencies = port boundary conditions RF Module has absorbing/open boundary conditions and PMLs for waves Absorbs solutions of type sin(kr) AC/DC Module has infinite elements as absorbing/open boundary conditions Absorbs solutions of type exp(-ar)

General EM Modeling Features

Frequency-Domain electric field propagation (sinusoidal input) Frequency-Domain electromagnetic potential (sinusoidal input) Time-domain electric field propagation (pulses and spikes) Time-domain electromagnetic potential for sub-wavelength component design (pulses and spikes)

Electrical Circuit Components

Electrical Circuit Components can be combined with RF, AC/DC, MEMS, Plasma, and Piezo simulations

Helix and Sweep for Coil Creation

Nonlinear Multiphysics, Strongly Coupled

Bi-directional coupling with heat transfer Bi-directional coupling with structural analysis Tri-directional coupling for nonlinear thermal stress Quad-directional coupling for:
nonlinear thermal stress and large deformations with deformable mesh for computation of thermally induced eigenfrequency shifts

Arbitrary nonlinear couplings, generalizations of the above or other types of physics including fluid flow (MHD/EHD) Non-linear power input-heat relationships

Material Properties, Frequency Domain

Materials can simultaneously be:
complex valued
directly type in values as 2.5-j*0.1 or exp(-j*pi/2*(z+x)) etc. for permittivity, refractive index, conductivity, or permeability

frequency dependent anisotropic spatially varying discontinuous nonlinear in for instance temperature T:
Ex: for conductivity, directly type in values as 5e6*(1-0.01*(T-273.15)) or 5e6*exp(-0.01*(T-273.15))

Material Properties, Time Domain

Materials can simultaneously be:
time-dependent time-dependent and nonlinear anisotropic spatially varying discontinuous

Boundary Conditions, Frequency Domain

Arbitrary excitation shapes, including:
truncated gaussian rectangular mathematical expressions measured look-up table based complex valued computed mode shapes for arbitrary cross-sections frequency dependent spatially varying discontinuous

Boundary Conditions, Time Domain

Arbitrary excitation shapes, including:
truncated gaussian rectangular measured look-up table based, over space and time computed mode shapes for arbitrary cross-sections switched/pulsed nonlinear time-varying spatially varying discontinuous

Thermal Features
Permittivity, conductivity, and permeability can be nonlinear in any variables including temperature Boundary conditions cover convective cooling and heat radiation/re-radiation with view-factor computations Continuous waves can be switched (on/off) while simultaneously solving for transient nonlinear heat transfer

Stress Features
Permittivity, conductivity, and permeability can be nonlinear in any variables including stress components Structural analysis includes solids and shells, anisotropic, plastic, hyperelastic (rubber) Structural deflections are allowed to change the shape of the microwave cavities for frequency shift computations Radiation pressure terms can be included as loads on boundaries or volumes (structural damage from very high power spikes)

Finite Elements
Element shapes, for any physics, can be triangular, quadrilateral, tetrahedral, prismatic, pyramidal, and hexahedral Element orders are 1st, 2nd, 3rd for EM Waves with vector/edge elements Element orders are 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, etc. for thermal, flow and structural analysis Geometrically same mesh can be shared for any types of physics independent layers with physics and shape functions, e.g.:
2nd order hexahedral element for thermal + 1st order hexahedral vector element for waves 2nd order tetrahedral element for thermal + 2nd order tetrahedral vector element for waves 2nd order tetrahedral element for thermal + 2nd order tetrahedral element for stress + 2nd order tetrahedral vector element for waves +

Piezoelectric Devices and RF MEMS*

*Available in the MEMS Module, Structural Mechanics Module, and Acoustics Module Mix dielectric, conductive, structural, and piezolayers Couple with electrical circuits and with any other field simulation in COMSOL Multiphysics Elastic shear and pressure waves Perfectly matched layers (PMLs) for elastic and piezo waves Thermoelastic effects 2D or 3D modeling Retrieve Impedance, Admittance, Current, Electric Field, Voltage, Stress-strain, Electric Energy Density, Strain Energy Density Transient, frequency-response, fully coupled eigenmode

CAD Interoperability
CAD Import Module for all major CAD formats LiveLink Products for bidirectional and fully associative modeling:
LiveLink for AutoCAD LiveLink for Inventor LiveLink for Pro/ENGINEER LiveLink for Creo Parametric LiveLink for SolidWorks LiveLink for SpaceClaim

AC/DC Examples and Important Features

MEMS Capacitor
Electrostatically tunable parallel plate capacitor Distance between plates is tuned via a spring For a given voltage difference between the plates, the distance of the two plates can be computed, if the characteristics of the spring are known The AC/DC Module features automated computation of capacitance for single+ground conductor structures and full capacitance matric output for multiconductor devices

High-Voltage Breaker
Electrostatic analysis of a highvoltage component Examine field distribution and maximum field strength for electric breakdown prevention Inhomogeneous materials with complex properties and multiphysics couplings

Electric field strength in a 3D model of a high voltage breaker surrounded by a porcelain insulator.
Model by Dr. Gran Eriksson, ABB Corporate Research, Sweden

Electrostatic Comb Drive

Electrostatic MEMS Device Moving Mesh to account for electrostatic volume and shape change Capacitive pressure sensors is a similar application that also benefits from the Moving Mesh feature

Linear and Nonlinear DC Computations

Electric conductivity can be temperature dependent or function of any field Material Library provides conductivity-vstemperature curves for many common materials Conductivity can be anisotropic due to material anisotropy or multiphysics couplings such as Hall effect or Piezoresistivity

Cable heating for Power-overEthernet cable bundle

Model by Sandrine Francois, Nexans Research Center & Patrick Namy Simtec, France.

Joule Heating in a Surface Mounted Package

Classic known-heat-source thermal analysis
Power, current or voltage input can be based on look-up table Sources can be time-varying and moving

DC simulation -> computed heat source -> thermal simulation AC simulation -> computed heat source -> thermal simulation

Hot-Wall Furnace Heating

Furnace reactors are used in the semiconductor industry for layer growth and annealing The electromagnetic part solves for the magnetic vector potential, A, at a fixed frequency The thermal part solves for temperature, T, and heat radiation The radiation fully controls the thermal flux between the susceptor and the quartz tube The susceptor is heated by a RF coil to high temperatures This model investigates the temperature in a hot-wall furnace reactor used for silicon carbide growth

Inductive Heating of a Billet & The Skin Effect

Temperature field T, stationary conditions

Steel billet has continuous vertical velocity w=0.1m/s

AC coil with axial magnetic flux frequency = 100Hz J0 = 10106 A/m2

Power Inductor
60 Hz Full electromagnetic potential {Ax,Ay,Az,V} formulation Accurate self-inductance computation where conduction effects inside of all conductors are included

Cold Crucible
10 kHz Magnetic vector potential {Ax,Ay,Az} formulation Skin effect modeled with impedance boundary condition to avoid large mesh and increase simulation accuracy

Induction Heating
Steel cylinder within copper coil AC 50 Hz Electromagnetic potential {Ax,Ay,Az,V} formulation Bidirectional coupling to heat transfer Temperature dependent conductivity Picture shows T and B fields (T only in Steel) Note: Transient Heat + Frequency Response AC simultaneously

Magnetic Signature of a Submarine

Magnetostatics simulation Reduced field formulation for including external magnetic field here the geomagnetic field Magnetic shielding boundary condition for very efficient accurate modeling of thin sheets of high permeability materials Similar shielding type of boundary conditions are available for DC, Electrostatics, and AC

Electromagnetic Shielding
Boundary conditions for electromagnetic shielding and current conduction in shells are important for electromagnetic interference and electromagnetic compatibility calculations (EMI/EMC). These are used to represent thin surfaces with much higher conductivity, permittivity or permeability than the surroundings. Boundary conditions are also available for the opposite case where the conductivity, permittivity or permeability is much lower than the surroundings.

AC/DC Currents in Porous Media

The porous media interface for electric currents allow for volume averaging of electric conductivity and relative permittivity. Similar volume averaging tools are available for heat transfer problems and the two can be combined.

Generator
The generator analyzed in this model consists of a rotor with permanent magnets and a nonlinear magnetic material inside a stator of the same magnetic material. The model calculates the static magnetic fields inside and around the generator. The nonlinearity of the magnetic material is modeled using an interpolating function.

Magnetic Prospecting of Iron Ore Deposits

Magnetic prospecting is a method for geological exploration of iron ore deposits. Passive magnetic prospecting relies on accurate mapping of local geomagnetic anomalies. This model estimates the magnetic anomaly for both surface and aerial prospecting by solving for the induced magnetization in the iron ore due to the earth's magnetic field. Geometry based on imported Digital Elevation Map (DEM) topographic data.

Small-Signal Analysis
The AC/DC Module features smallsignal analysis with automated differential inductance computations. Small-signal analysis is also available for other lumped parameters such as capacitance and impedance. Based on COMSOLs automated machinery for linearizing biased components Modal analysis or frequency sweeps

PCB Planar Transformer: Self and Mutual Inductance Calculation

ECAD Import: ODB++ file import and preprocessing The ODB++ file contains the different layers of the PCB. It also contains footprint layers for the ferrite core of the transformer. With three separate import steps it is possible to create the full geometry of the PCB board with traces, the holes for the ferrite core, and the actual ferrite core. File: planar_transformer_layout.xml See also:
www.valor.com and www.valor.com/en/Products/ODBpp.aspx

Mechanical deformation + RF simulation of PCB Microwave Low-Pass Filter

ECAD: ODB++ Import

S-parameters, before and after mechanical deformation

RF Examples and Important Features

Microstrip Patch Antenna

Microstrip modeling Perfecly Matcher Layers (PMLs) to absorb outgoing radiation Radiation pattern computations Different mesh types with prism and tet elements in different areas to optimize performance

Vivaldi Antenna
Radiation plots and S11 vs. frequency

Vivaldi Antenna
Exponential tapered slot Feeder strip
100mm

145mm

Matching circle

Short

Substrate: er = 3.38

J. Shin et al., A Parameter Study of Stripline-fed Vivaldi Notch-antenna Arrays, IEEE Trans. Antennas Propag., Vol. 47, No. 5, May 1999

Vivaldi Antenna

PML

Perfect electric conductor

Lumped port

f = 1.5 4.2 GHz

Vivaldi Antenna

RF Coils
Mode analysis to find the fundamental resonance frequency of an RF coil Frequency sweep Extract the coil's Q-factor RF Coils are modeled using impedance boundary conditions Skin-depth makes explicit modeling of volumetric currents prohibitive Excitation is often done by lumped ports Calculate impedance-vs-frequency

Deformations Greatly Affect Coil Performance

Consider a tuned RF filter with a matched array of inductors (Used in high-power transmitters or amplifiers) If coil deflects no longer matched

High Frequency Small Skin Depth

1 GHz Signal Current confined to thin inside spiral Preferentially heats inside of coil coil deforms

Thermal Mass of Board Cools Ends

Thermal expansion in coil changes dimensions and inductance
Temperature 50x Deformation

Stress

Cavity Resonator Heating

Mode computation, large cavity Use scaled mode shape scaled for power input Thermal computation Very thin skin-depth Joule heating only on boundary Thermal diffusion in cavity walls

Microwave Sintering
Zink oxide powder sintering Imaginary part of permittivity defined via look-up table from measurement Strongly coupled simulation
Temperature and microwave problem needs to be assembled and solved simultaneously to converge (sequential solving not possible)

Microwave Oven
Microwave heating Simultaneous modeling of microwaves and heat in the same integrated model

Thermal Drift in Microwave Filter

Tridirectional strongly coupled microwave, thermal, and structural Structural deflection changes the filter geometry Different material options are investigated to reduce thermal drift Simulation requires deformable meshes via so called ALE technique Structural shell with thermal expansion required

Microwave Heating of Water: EM+CFD

Biomedical Microwave Heating Effects

Microwave heating of tissue Tissue has strongly varying dielectric properties with respect to temperature SAR computation Nonlinear simulation Damage integral computations and phase change

Structural Loading on Radar or Microwave Dish Antenna

Unloaded

Loaded

Three-Port Ferrite Circulator

Anisotropic material - gyrotropic Non-symmetric permeability matrix special solver needed Non-reciprocal S-Parameters CAD parameterization available through native COMSOL or one of the LiveLink Products for SolidWorks, AutoCAD, Inventor, Pro/ENGINEER, Creo Parametric, or SpaceClaim LiveLink for MATLAB can also be used for parameterization

Response Surfaces
S12 vs. frequency & post diameter S12 vs. frequency & permittivity

S-Parameter Sweeps
Full matrix-output S-parameter sweep Sweeps not only for frequency but any modeling parameter Touchstone export

Radar Cross-Section Analysis

The polar plot feature allows for efficient radiation pattern visualizations

Plasmonic Wire Grating

A plane wave is incident on a wire grating on a dielectric substrate. Coefficients for refraction, specular reflection, and first order diffraction are all computed as functions of the angle of incidence.

Simulation of an Electromagnetic Sounding Method for Oil Prospecting

The marine controlled source electromagnetics method uses a mobile horizontal electric dipole transmitter and an array of seafloor electric receivers. The seafloor receivers measure the low-frequency electrical field generated by the source. Some of the transmitted energy is reflected by the resistive reservoir and results in a higher received signal.

Step-Index Fiber
The distribution of the magnetic and electric fields for confined modes is studied for a step index fiber made of silica glass. Compared with analytical solution.

Photonic Crystals and Band-gap Materials

A photonic waveguide is created by removing some pillars in a photonic crystal structure. Depending on the distance between the pillars a photonic band gap is obtained. Within the photonic bandgap, only waves within a specific frequency range will propagate through the outlined guide geometry. COMSOL is used for design and optimization of photonic crystal waveguides and optical crystal fibers.

Metamaterials
The RF Module has applications for metamaterial and absorptive material design for RF, Microwave, and Optical frequencies. General solvers allow for microstructure simulations and also macroscopic simulations where negative values for refractive index, permittivity, and permeability is allowed. Anisotropic materials are supported.

Cloaking model by Steven A. Cummer and David Schurig Duke University, Durham, NC

Contact and Web Info

Contact your local sales representative for more information See also: www.comsol.com Generic email: info@comsol.com